Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Barbecuer's unite :). Advice needed please.

My best friend just purchased a new stainless steel barbecue and I told him that it's important to protect it from the elements (especially the bottom section because it's made of very thin stainless steel).

What would you guys recommend? I did a brief search and came across this article that recommended 3M Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish (at the bottom of the page), and another website that linked to this YouTube video for a product called ProtectaClear.

The ProtectaClear looks like a solid performer but I doubt it's available locally.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I've left mine out all winter for years without a problem. Just a run of the mill BBQ cover will do.

Mine is 5 years old and just a cover with a yearly thorough spring cleaning/wipedown followed by the occasional monthly cleaning it still looks as good as new. IMO, just keeping it from direct exposure to the elements as much as possible will make it last till you want to buy a new one.

Thanks, guys. I guess a cover, and keeping it stored in the shed or garage, it is.

Cheers.

Are you having an identity crisis? Is that you again?

I take it the grill is not a built in. Just leave it outside, let it fill up with dried leaves and spider webs. Use Naval Jelly every 3 years to clean up the rust and bird droppings. Make sure your propane tank is off-white with a decorative rust patina.

Or, you can get a nice Weber and use charcoal, as man was meant to grill.

Not that grilling is the same as BBQ, still a nice Weber is the way to go for grilling.

You're right, Rick. I just figured Cam said BBQ but meant grill.

Let's ask him,

HELLO, CAM ... did you mean BBQ or grill, and if you're not sure of the difference, tell us why you referred to your friend's grill as a BBQ, OK??

A barbecue and grill are interchangeable terms when referring to the cooking appliance, as I was. But, as Rick correctly stated, it's the cooking technique that differs.

Used literally, the term "grilling" refers to cooking food over a direct flame or other high-heat source. BBQ, on the other hand, has three distinct differences. One main difference between grilling and BBQ is the heat source. BBQ uses indirect heat or low-level heat to cook foods - usually meats.

If you're cooking with low, indirect heat on a Weber "grill", you're barbequing.

We do both, so it's a fucking barbecue.

Cam, have you forgotten this is supposed to be a "family-friendly" board?

Cam wrote:

"A barbecue and grill are interchangeable terms when referring to the cooking appliance, as I was. But, as Rick correctly stated, it's the cooking technique that differs.

Used literally, the term "grilling" refers to cooking food over a direct flame or other high-heat source. BBQ, on the other hand, has three distinct differences. One main difference between grilling and BBQ is the heat source. BBQ uses indirect heat or low-level heat to cook foods - usually meats.

If you're cooking with low, indirect heat on a Weber "grill", you're barbequing.

We do both, so it's a fucking barbecue."
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Yes, I'm sure it is one of those special and profane barbecues. I am not surprised that when caught not knowing the difference between a grill and a bbq, (no big deal, really) first you contend there's no difference and then you resort to profanity.

You really lower the level of discourse here, Cam.

You get on me about everything, dude.

I can recall two fairly recent instances where another well respected individual on this forum has said that word and posted a picture that contained it, but as per usual, you hold me to a different standard.

There's LOTS of other instances. I guess I need to garner more respect; sorry.

It's an adult forum. There's no Pokemon discussions.

Yes, but you'd do well to respect our kind hosts by not dropping the f-bomb.

Hey, Cam, Here's a web page I found that does a pretty good job of explaining why "Barbecue" is not a verb. It is a noun, referring to the cooked meat, not the cooking appliance. The thing you cook steaks/burgers/etc on is the grill. When doing so, you are grilling.

I know, it seems like splitting hairs, but that's one of the cool things about language - all the nuance.

For some comedy relief, Here's a repost of one of my favorites, The Barbecue Song. The must-see part is at 2:45, but the whole dang thing is good. Apologies/chuckles to RickF for the accusation that he is not living in a Southern state.

Dang, that sucks, RickF.

Sorry.




I'm hungry for barbecue now.

Sure, it's a big commercialized restaurant, but I really enjoy Lucille's. It's a good way to try some of the barbecue sauces from different regions.

Thumbs up from me!

Looks yummy but also pricey!

I like Allman's BBQ here in town. Gotta love the sideways menu .pdf link.

Thanks, JP.

Before posting my response yesterday, I searched "difference between grilling and barbecuing", and on the two websites that explained the difference, it only mentioned the difference in cooking styles (as I noted) and nothing regarding linguistics. So, I used logic to deduce that if you are cooking barbecue, you are barbecuing (ergo the appliance is a barbecue), which is why I facetiously called it a f'in barbecue.

My bad, and thanks for helping me learn.

Hopefully Rick, the grilling man, doesn't hunt me down for what may be considered a sacrilegious err, by aficionados like himself .

I don't think I would buy another weber. While the heat is much more consistent and even (the consistency has had held up too) than cheaper grills I have had, it has been plagued with the same problems. I must say I am disappointed with how the build quality has held up in the 3 years we have had it. Not a cheap grill either. Payed well over a grand for it. The automatic push start shit the bed after one and a half years, the top inside is peeling off and now the inside burner portion is rusting and deteriorating. I guess its only a matter of time when hot spots start appearing.

That sucks. Would Evapo-Rust clean things up?

The inside top on mine is also peeling. Didn't pay $1000 for the thing, though, and it's 5 years old. Generally seems to be holding up, other than the flavorizer bars, which were not stainless.

Of course. Leave it to CA to be the first place to open flavorizer bars.

It's what Weber coins the "flavourizer bars" that are breaking down quickly. That product should clean up the rust but these have already reached the point of deterioration. Probably better to put the money to replacement parts. We just had it covered in the winter months, I wouldn't do this with the next grill.

Those are about $50 to replace, at least on my grill. Did yours come with porcelain ones or stainless?

I'm not sure. I'll search for the manual to see exactly what replacement part I need. I was just really shocked at the rust and wear occurring in the insides before firing it up for the first time this spring.

I'm not shocked at all about rust on the flavorizer bars.

That's why you should've purchased a barbecue instead .

It's just that those are the things that get the most heat and the most gunk on them. As far as I'm concerned, they're sacrificial.

I am still using a weber genesis from 1993. We use it year round here in CT and have not covered it in about 10 years. The exterior is fine. Where weber hammers you is in the grid and flavorizer bars. I've tried multiple versions, none of them last respective the relative cost. I'm considering using angle iron and rebar the next go round as my replacement components are now "special order". My advice ... buy what you like,enjoy it, eat well, and cross your fingers or say a prayer that it all works out.

I have two Webers, one is a Weber Performer and a WSM and both are solid units.

Then again I also have nice Horizon Smoker which is by far my favorite for BBQ.

Ken upon a recommendation I placed a sheet of expended metal over the top of the flavorizer bars on our Genesis and then placed a layer of lava rock over that ... works like a charm and it seems to add a little flavor to the food grilled.

To the original question, I'll do a thorough washing of our stainless Weber grill every few months with Dawn dishwashing liquid, let it dry and throw the cover back on. Keeping the cover on and staying away from the abrasive or acidic cleansors is key with a stainless grill in my estimation.

I thought my bbq was doing the same thing (the black finish inside the lid was peeling off) until one day when I cleaned it and realized that under all the peeling gunk the original finish was still there and in good shape.

Apparently the smoke and grease doesn't all make it to your arteries... some of it escapes and gunks up the inside of your lid first

Oh, OK, sure, if it's a Weber, I'd use Dawn too, and buff it with a microfiber cloth.

Wid, I have 2 Webers also, a pair of their big Kettles. I like Mesquite charcoal (not briquettes). One wasn't enough to keep the steaks and the racks of lamb coming fast enough.

Mesquite charcoal gets so hot that the coal rack sags.

BTW, best way to start the coals is one of those chimneys that use a single piece of newspaper. Avoids starter fluid which makes everything taste like it was cooked in the engine compartment of a Mexican bus.

Yup, a smoker, that's BBQ.

Dry Rub on wet. Sesame Oil and vegetable oil combo, Kosher salt, fresh garlic, granulated onion, paprika and coarse ground black pepper (steaks).

Lamb, I put in a ziplock with plain white distilled vinegar and soy sauce for 1.5 hours. Then they get the same treatment as the steaks.

Man started grilling approximately 5 minutes after learning how to make fire.

Oh, I'll have to try and clean it off, then.

I got a chimney starter & some real chunk charcoal. It all works great but now the wife says she misses the starter taste. Go figure

The Performer has a gas assist to start the charcoal. Even with that I still use a chimney, been using one for years. I mostly use briquettes (they burn more consistent), if I want that real wood taste I cook on the Horizon and use oak and or cherry wood.

For gas assist, I usually just had my dad stand next to the grill.

That thar is funny, Sean!

Neither of us have eyebrows anymore.

Why are your eyebrows close to the source of the gas?

I'm gullible, and my dad a ruthless prankster?